garage door

This week on our Shea Homes Arizona social media, we featured another “Customer Care Connection” video teaching you how to preserve and protect your garage door.

Out of all of the parts of your home that you strive to care for, how often does the garage door come to mind? This part of the home can often be overlooked even though it is responsible for keeping our cars clean and warm and storing the many collections of sports equipment, tools, arts and crafts, etc. A well cared for garage door can keep your family safe and your keepsakes well protected. A basic and inexpensive way to care for your garage door only requires a few items that are most likely lying around the house; silicone spray, eye protection, a rag and a ladder, if necessary. All of these items can be found at your local home improvement store. The first thing that you will need to do is put on your eye protection to avoid any possible accidents and keep safety first. Next, you will need to spray the silicone spray on the rollers of the garage door. Apply the spray between the pin and the wheel so that you saturate the operative part of the roller. Take your rag and dab the excess silicone so that it does not run onto the track of the door and cause the door to slip. After you’ve done this with the rollers, repeat the process with all hinges. You can store the silicone spray container in a cool, dry place so that it is ready for its next use. Manufacturers recommend that this is done every six months. Congratulations, you are well on your way to preserving a protecting your garage door for years to come!

Here are a few more simple ways that you can protect yourself and your family through garage door maintenance:

1.) Check the safety reverse mechanism. This can be done by setting a roll of toilet paper or a pillow under the garage door and closing the door, if the door does not reverse after it hits the object, the mechanism is not working properly.

2.) Check and tighten bolts around the perimeter of the door and on the tracks, as they hold the system together.

3.) Wipe down the door regularly with a damp rag, this will prevent dirt buildup that could chip away at the door and will keep it squeaky clean.

4.) If the door is wood, fill in gaps with caulk and keep it well coated with paint to prevent dirt build up, mold and water damage.

5.) Garage areas, in general, can be dangerous with several storage items and tools lying out. These loose items could potentially pose a health or safety hazard for anyone in the area. We recommend regularly keeping your garage organized, especially with little ones at home!